Food News – Northwest, September 2015

After the summer [?!] why not relax with... a couple of food festivals (wait a minute!)

Feature by Jamie Faulkner | 04 Sep 2015

First up, Manchester Food and Drink Festival returns for another year (10–21 September). Of particular note in the suitably diverse events programme are: Trove's breadmaking masterclass; Simon Rogan's 'Week Gastronomique,' where chefs from his portfolio of successful restaurants (think l'Enclume and Fera) will be taking over the kitchen at The French; and, in another takeover, homelessness charity Mustard Tree welcomes four chefs, including Robert Owen Brown and David Gale, into their kitchen for a series of special menus, cooked solely with donated ingredients. 

While we're on the topic of responsible foodism, the Can Cook street food truck has been raising awareness of food poverty around Liverpool this summer. It had a simple premise: buy a meal from them and they'd give a meal to someone struggling to feed themselves. They've 'sold' 2500 meals thus far, and keep an eye out for their Kitchen BBQ coming later this year. 

Despite a thriving food scene, Liverpool Food and Drink Festival gets only two days (19–20 Sep). But it's cramming it full of chefs many of us love to hatewatch, like Valentine Warner and Rachel Khoo (OK, maybe that's just me). Y'know, likeable, well intentioned, middle-class-seeming and really good cooks (bastards!). And there's a Curry Clinic, which sounds like something you'd go to after attempting the Phaal challenge at Brick Lane Curry House. 

Talking of curry, the guys from Rusholme fave Mughli – well technically their restaurant group, Zanna – have acquired the Northern Quarter's Superstore, where they will be teaming up with the aforementioned David Gale and serving a "globally-inspired menu." So, maybe, curry; maybe Mexican. 

Because we can't neglect booze entirely, for those into their wine – or not, even – Dan Harwood is at Liverpool's Launch 22 (4 Sep) trying to rekindle or just kindle the public's appreciation of Bordeaux wine. No Bullshit Wine Tasting happens to be a free tasting – and Bordeaux wine ain't cheap – so we'd snap up our places pretty sharpish. Did we mention it's free? (Tickets via Eventbrite). 

And, lest you forget, our annual Food and Drink Survey is open now, where you can vote for your favourite places across the region in a variety of not-too-limiting categories. Or not, as is your democratic right. But we'd love it if you did. 

http://theskinny.co.uk/food